A small alteration in fate
by JudyNFran
Summary: Short series of 3 fics in a slightly AU version of Fushigi
1. Notes

Notes   
Vocabulary   
  
For those who either started on the dubbed version (poor dears, go get the subtitled one, it's much better. :) or never really picked up any Japanese words from the subtitled version, here's a list of the words we used in the fics:   
  
Aaiyah - What the Nyan-Nyan's yell when they get hit. :) A general surprised yelp.   
Ano - Ummm/Excuse me   
Baka - Idiot, stupid   
Chi - Spirit, energy. (Also seen as Ki)   
Chibi - Small/Young (Chichiri often goes Chibi when he goes SD (Super Deformed.))   
Gomen (nasai) - I'm (very) sorry   
Hai - Yes   
Hentai - Pervert. (Or anything perverted. ;)   
Itai - Ouch   
Kawaii - Cute, sweet, adorable   
Kowai - Scary, frighting   
Kya (and varants there of with more a's ;) - The sound someone makes when they're scared witless. :)   
Nani? - What?   
Ne? - Right?   
Odango - This is the name for those balls of hair that adorn the hair of many an Anime character (DIC (*shudder*) translates it as "meatballs" in Sailor Moon)   
Ohayo! - Hi!   
Yameru - Stop   
The following terms are added to the end of a name (ex: Name - Name-chan/san/kun/sama)   
-Chan - Denotes familiarity. (Almost like an -ie at the end of a name, but less obnoxious. :)   
-San - Polite, kinda like Mr./Mrs.   
-Kun - Kinda like -Chan when used by guys, other wise someone you don't know very well.   
-Sama - Used with great respect, often translated as "Lord"   
And on an intresting note, Lekka Shinen means Blazing Divine Flame. Tasuki pronounces it as "Lekka Shien", so that's mostly the way I write it in the fics.   
General Notes:   
  
The Chiriko in these fic is pretty much his Manga personality. [When his symbol is missing, he's REAL dumb. (Poor kid)] This is half the reason he gets to skiddish sometimes. The other is that Tama-Neko REALY rubbed off on the poor kid. :)   
  
In this alternate, Amiboshi, after fleeing from the Suzaku seishi, continued running the full length of the river, knowing he could not return because Nakago would kill him. Due to exaustion, and the weather conditions, he passed out in the same village that he was orginally washed up in. The same family took him in. He had very temperary amnesia (it lasted about a day). When his memory was restored, he realized he was in a very good situation, and decided to stay.   
Whether or not Nakago knows what happened is yet unknown, but he's leaving Amiboshi alone. Suboshi contacted his twin via skin-scratch, and Amiboshi explained he wasn't leaving, and invited his twin to come live with him. Suboshi decilined, wanting to stay with Yui.   
Also, these fics were the first we've ever written and were writen abotu...4 years ago, so they're not very good. ^^ 


	2. Two is better then one

Two is better then One -- ne Tasuki?  
Nakago's footsteps echoed as he walked down the darkened hallway, his face a mask of hardened indifference with a trace of anger and annoyance. Suddenly, with a single fluid motion, he drew his sword and raised it to the neck of a shadowy form standing in the corner of the hallway.  
  
"Who are you and how did you get in here." He demanded of the stranger in a cold voice.  
  
"Ah, Nakago, m'boy! Good to see you're still in form." Chuckled a cracked old voice. "Allow me to illuminate the situation for you."   
  
A small ball of clear light appeared above the stranger revealing a short and elderly man, with a bemused smile upon his face.   
  
If Nakago was surprised by the wizened man's display of magic, he did not show it. "Who are you, and how did you get in here." he repeated in the same tone as before, his eyes ice cold.  
  
"That," the man smiled, pointed a finger at the blond warrior, "is unimportant!" he finished, pointing to the ceiling with a flourish. "What is important," he paused, smiling once more. "Is that you," he again pointed to the stone-faced shogun, "succeed in your battle against the Suzaku seishi!" His cracked smile grew as he continued. "How would you like your work load," he smiled again, "cut in half?"  
  
Nakago paused for a moment. "Tell me more." He ordered.  
"LEKKA SHIEN! "  
  
A stream of fire roared out, propelling a dark-aqua haired man across the small clearing.  
"Tasuki-kun!" Chichiri exclaimed in a reprimanding tone.  
  
The red-haired bandit looked over at the agitated monk, replacing his tessen in it's sheath. "What?" he replied indignantly. "He was askin' for it!"  
  
The blue-haired man sighed. "You shouldn't attack Tamahome so much. This fighting amongst ourselves will not help us win the war no da!"  
  
Tasuki made a face. "Mitsukake'll heal him up." he defended himself.  
  
"Mitsukake should not have to spend all his healing energy because you keep fighting with Tamahome no da!" Chichiri retorted. "He can only --" he broke off mid sentence. "Nani?" he exclaimed.  
  
Suddenly, a large ice-blue flash erupted in the midst of the field, near where the monk and bandit stood. It spread out, turning white as it hit the pair and continuing onward.   
Tama-Neko gave a startled meow and jumped into Chiriko's arms. The youngest seishi looked up just in time to see the light envelope him and turn white.  
Mitsukake looked up from bandaging the rather toasted Tamahome just as the light swallowed them both.  
Nuriko cried out as the light hit Hotohori and only seconds later was covered by the light himself.  
Tasuki groaned as he came to. His body was aching everywhere, his mind spinning. He felt completely disoriented, with a nagging feeling that something was fucked up.  
  
"What the fuck was that no da?" he muttered.  
  
Tasuki's eyes went wide. He slapped his hand over his mouth, his other hand following soon after. 'Did I just say 'no da'?' he thought in horror.   
  
"Did I just swear?" he heard Chichiri wonder, equally as horrified.  
  
"Chichiri?" Tasuki looked around. Where was that annoying monk anyway? He couldn't see him anywhere.  
  
Giving another groan, Tasuki pulled himself to his feet, trying to ignore the pain that was slowly fading from his body. A wave of dizziness hit him as he looked around. Everything looked different somehow, like he was looking through someone else's eyes, yet not. And was he-- taller somehow? Tasuki looked down to brush off his clothing and paused in shock.  
  
He was wearing Chichiri's kesa! And his wasn't even wearing it right! It was around his body like his trench-coat had been. In a flash of panic, he reached for his tessen. He breathed a large sigh of relief when his hand grasped the handle. Tasuki paused, frowning. There was something else in the holder as well. He pulled it out and stared at it in shock. It was Chichiri's staff! How the hell had it gotten there?! And how did it fit? 'It's magic,' he thought, hearing Chichiri's voice, "it does things like that no da."  
  
What the hell! He had just thought using 'no da'?! What was going on?! Why did he feel so damn strange? And why the hell was he wearing Chichiri's clothing?! Where the fuck was that accursed blue-haired freak anyway?!  
  
A childish groan interrupted Tasuki's internal rantings. "Chiriko!" he cried out, stumbling over to the young seishi, leaning on Chichiri's staff. He couldn't even walk right! What was wrong with him? Suddenly, Tasuki stopped short, his eyes focusing on the stirring child before him.  
  
"Nani no da?!" He barely noticed himself say in Chichiri's voice.  
  
Chiriko-- Tasuki's mind stuttered, Chiriko had cat ears!  
  
The small seishi was curled up, a white and brown tail curling around his legs and large white cat ears poking out from underneath his hair.   
  
The cat-child gave a yawn and stretched, sitting up. He looked up at Tasuki and blinked cutely. "Tasuki?" he blinked again. "Why do you look like Chichiri?"   
  
Tasuki was taken back. 'Look like Chichiri? ' he repeated mentally.  
  
Chiriko's tail swished back and forth a few times as he looked up at Tasuki's puzzled expression with his head cocked to one side. "I feel so strange!" he exclaimed, straightening his neck. Suddenly, he paused ,his tail stopping in mid swish. "Tama-chan?" The cat-child turned trying to find his feline friend. Spotting his own tail, his eyes grew wide. "Tama-chaaaan?" his eyes began to water. "I sat on Tama-chan!" He wailed.  
  
"Mitsukake!" Chiriko bent over, placing his hands on the ground, and began running across the field on all fours. "I sat on Tama-chan!" he cried, his tail flying in the wind behind him.  
  
Tasuki ran after the distressed cat-child, again having to lean on Chichiri's staff.   
  
"Mitsukake?" he heard Chiriko meow. The cat-child was nuzzling the arm of the unconscious man before him, but which man it was, Tasuki could not tell.  
  
He looked like Mitsukake, but Mitsukake had brown hair, not aqua, and was taller, much taller. In fact, it almost looked like Tamahome, but his hair was short, like Mitsukake's, and he was wearing Mitsukake's headbands.  
  
The man began to stir. "Mitsukake!" Chiriko cried happily as the seishi opened his eyes. One eye was brown, Mitsukake's eye color, and one was grey, Tamahome's eye color. Seeing the cat-child in font of him, the man's eyes widened more. "Chiriko!" he exclaimed in Mitsukake's voice. "What happened!" he continued in Tamahome's voice.   
  
Tasuki's head began spinning. 'I shouldn't have had that sake before,' he thought miserably. 'I knew it tasted funny! It's fucking with my head! '  
  
'Gen-chan,' said a voice in his mind that tended to tell him things he didn't want to hear, 'You never hallucinate when you're drunk,' it continued, sounding an awful lot like Koji.   
  
'Shut UP!' Tasuki pushed the though away. This had to be a hallucination, he had to be drunk. He would wake up in the morning with one hell of a hangover and it would all be better...  
  
"Where's Hotohori-sama?" he heard Chichiri say.   
  
"Shit! He's in the house!" Tasuki exclaimed.  
  
"Who's in the house?" Mitsukake asked.  
  
"Hotohori!" Tasuki snapped, "didn't you hear Chichiri--" Tasuki paused. Chichiri wasn't here.   
  
Suddenly, he began running towards the house at the edge of the field. "What the fuck?!" He exclaimed. Why was he running and where was he going? He stumbled, grabbing hold of the staff to keep from falling.   
  
"You're going to find Hotohori-sama!" Chichiri exclaimed, sighing.  
  
"Oh, right. Wait a second, Chichiri? Where the fuck are you?!" he exclaimed as he threw open the door.  
  
"Hotohori-sama!" he exclaimed in Chichiri's voice. "Are you--" He stopped mid sentence.  
  
Hotohori was standing in front of the mirror. His hair had taken on a purple tint and was tied back loosely.   
  
He turned his face to one side, "I never would have thought it possible." he commented, turning his face the other direction. "I am even more beautiful. Whoohohoho!" He, rather, Nuriko laughed.  
  
Tasuki sweat dropped.  
  
"Hotohori-sama," he again said in Chichiri's voice.   
  
Hotohori turned. "Chichiri? Why are you imitating Tasuki?"  
  
"I'm not." Chichiri replied.  
  
Hotohori paused, not knowing what to say.  
  
"All of the seishi seem to have been" Chichiri paused, looking for the right word, "melded with another seishi no da. Tasuki was melded with myself, Tamahome with Mitsukake, and Chiriko--" Chichiri again paused, "Chiriko was melded with Tama-neko. and you were melded with Nuriko."   
  
Hotohori turned back to the mirror. "So I see...." he commented again turning his face to one side.  
  
'Great, now we'll never get him away from that mirror.' Tasuki sighed mentally.  
  
'It would appear that way no da.' Chichiri replied. 'We should go retrieve the others no da.'  
  
'Yeah.' Tasuki thought in agreement. He then paused. 'Hey!' he exclaimed. 'You were reading my thoughts!' he accused.  
  
'Apparently when we think as if we were talking, the other can hear it no da.' Chichiri replied. 'A useful tool to have no da.'  
  
'Useful, hell!' Tasuki grumbled. 'Just what I need, that annoying little --'  
  
'Tasuki-kun,' Chichiri interrupted in a warning tone.  
  
'Shit!'  
  
'Ano.. maybe we should work on not thinking aloud na no da.' Chichiri suggested.  
  
'Yeah,' Tasuki agreed. 'Hey, what's wrong with Hotohori?'  
  
The young emperors face was blushing a bright red. "Nuriko," he began, "N-N-Nuriko!"  
  
'I don't even want to know what's going on in there.' Tasuki muttered.  
  
'Hai no da.' Chichiri agreed. "Hotohori-sama?" he placed a hand on the blushing seishi's shoulder.  
  
Hotohori looked over distractedly. "Y-yes?" he stammered. "Nuriko!" he exclaimed in alarm.  
  
"Ano, Nuriko-san.." Chichiri began.  
  
"HEY FAG-BOY!" Tasuki cut in, "LEAVE THE EMPEROR ALONE!"  
  
The next moment, Chichiri/Tasuki was flying across the room, propelled by Nuriko's punch.  
  
"Itai no da!" Chichiri whined, rubbing his head.  
  
"Chichiri?" Nuriko bent over the monk with concern in his eyes. "Gomen Chichiri!" he apologized as he helped Chichiri to his feet. "I meant to hit that annoying jerk, not you."  
  
Chichiri gave a sigh. This was going to get messy, he could tell.  
A bit later, all the melded seishi had been assembled in the house. Chiriko kept fidgeting in his chair as Chichiri was explaining what had happened, and suddenly climbed up on the table. He lay down, curling his tail around him.  
  
"Chiriko," Mitsukake began,  
  
"The chair hurts my tail," Chiriko explained in a cute voice, looking up at Mitsukake. "And it's comfy up here." He curled back up and gave a small purr.  
  
"Damn it," Tasuki swore, "I'm gonna kill the little fuck who did this to us!"   
  
Chiriko looked up from grooming his ear. "Why?"  
  
Tasuki paused, looking at the cat-child.  
  
Chiriko sat up, tail swishing back and forth behind him. "With all of us combined, our powers must be multiplied. We all have twice our chi! And with our powers combined, we have Tasuki's speed and flame throwing abilities combined with Chichiri's magic," The young seishi turned to the other seishi, "Hotohori's swordsmanship backed by Nuriko's strength, and Mitsukake's healing with Tamahome, who needs it most." Chiriko finished.  
  
"But Chiriko," Hotohori interjected, "What about you?"  
  
Chiriko blinked cutely a few times.  
  
"That should be obvious," Mitsukake smiled. "Tama-neko is a smart cat, so Chiriko's intelligence is enhanced."  
  
"And he's got the kawainess of a child and of a cat." Nuriko added. "Which can be useful as well."   
  
Chiriko smiled and purred, re-curling himself up on top of the table.  
  
"Chiriko is right, no da." Chichiri said. "We are more powerful together, but we need to get used to this change, or we'll defeat ourselves no da. We should also practice, to focus our combined abilities."  
  
"But what are we going to do when Miaka comes back?!" Tamahome asked as Mitsukake petted the now purring cat child in front of him.   
  
"Ano..." Chichiri sweat dropped.   
  
"That's right," Nuriko commented as Hotohori looked shocked. "She should be here already, ne?"  
  
At that moment, the young miko burst into the room "Ohayo!" She exclaimed cheerfully. Upon seeing the 4 men gathered in the room, she stopped short, eyes wide. Covering her mouth with her hand, she gave a muted shriek.  
  
"Miaka!" Tamahome rose to his feet.  
  
"Tamahome? What-- what happened to you!" Miaka exclaimed in shock.  
  
Chichiri repeated his hypothesis on what had occurred, unsure of any of it was registering on the traumatized miko.  
  
Miaka sat down hard in the chair Tamahome had vacated. The young cat-child jumped from the table and settled in the girl's lap, nuzzling her gently.  
  
"Ch-Chiriko," Miaka looked at the meowing seishi. Giving a small moan, she passed out.  
While Tamahome-Mitsukake attended to the unconscious miko, Chichiri and Tasuki, Nuriko and Hotohori, and Chiriko and Tama-neko went outside to practice. Tasuki and Chichiri had finally gotten the hang of walking correctly and had to assist Nuriko and Hotohori. Chiriko had no trouble walking, but the cat half kept wanting to walk on four legs instead of two. Preferring to watch instead of participate, the cat-child sat at the end of the clearing, his tail waving back and forth in interest.  
  
Tasuki sat on a nearby rock, watching Nuriko and Hotohori slice trees and small boulders his mind pondering what advantage Chichiri could lend to his tessen fire.  
  
'Da!' Chichiri exclaimed, getting an idea. 'Tasuki-kun, flame something,' He suggested.  
  
Tasuki shrugged and picked a random tree as a target. "LEKKA--" he raised his tessen in the air. "SHIEN!"  
  
A stream of blue flame roared out at the tree, incinerating it and two neighboring trees instantly.  
  
"Holy Shit!" Tasuki exclaimed out loud.  
  
'Chi enhanced flame no da!' Chichiri explained, incredibly pleased with himself.   
  
"Awesome." Tasuki breathed.  
  
"Tamahome!" Miaka shrieked from a cross the field as Tamahome and Mitsukake stumbled and fell to the group. Tasuki and Chichiri rushed over to assist the paired seishi to their feet.   
  
"Oi, Tama," Tasuki grinned, "a bit weak on your feet? Go a bit slower or you'll hurt yerself!"  
  
Tamahome grumbled something underneath his breath.  
  
"You might want to practice walking no da," Chichiri interjected before Tasuki could continue insulting Tamahome. "You both have drastically changed height no da."  
  
Tamahome and Mitsukake nodded and allowed Miaka to help them walk around the clearing  
  
"This is going to be hard on her," Hotohori said, watching the miko with concern in his eyes.  
  
"Hai," Chichiri agreed. "And on Tamahome and Mitsukake as well no da. If Tamahome does anything with Miaka, Mitsukake will feel as if he's being unfaithful to Shoka."  
  
"Koji's going to flip." Tasuki sighed "That's if he even recognizes me."  
  
"Oh he'll recognize you all right," Tamahome commented, "Not that it'll do you much good,"  
  
"What do ya mean?" Tasuki asked, mildly annoyed.   
  
"Well, with Chichiri around you can hardly get drunk with your little 'friend'" Tamahome put a rather nasty emphasis on the word, "can you?"  
  
"HEY!" Tasuki yelled, his anger levels rising. "Watch what you say about Koji!" he growled.  
  
"Tamahome--" Nuriko began in a warning tone. It was evident that Mitsukake was trying to keep Tamahome from aggravating Tasuki further, but he wasn't succeeding.  
  
"Why? You afraid he won't want you now that you've changed?" Tamahome sneered.  
  
"LEKKA--"  
  
'Tasuki-kun! No!' Chichiri exclaimed, pulling their arm back.  
  
"SHIEN!" Tasuki finished. He paused, wondering why Tamahome wasn't burnt. Then he notices his arm was in back of him instead of in front.  
  
"Tasuki--" Came Nuriko's agitated voice from behind him.  
  
Tasuki turned to see a rather toasted Nuriko and Hotohori behind him.   
  
"Gomen nasai! Gomen nasai!" Tasuki yelped as Nuriko began chasing him around the field.  
After both Chichiri and Tasuki apologized to Nuriko and persuaded him not to beat them senseless, the melded seishi borrowed Hotohori's mirror to see if Koji would recognize Tasuki in the meld or not. Their combined appearance was enough to keep them staring until Hotohori demanded his mirror back.  
  
Their hair was Tasuki's red color, pulled back loosely with Chichiri's gravity-deyfing bangs. Tasuki's smaller red and blue beads hung around their neck just above Chichiri's green set. They were wearing Tasuki's earrings in their ears, and still had Tasuki's fangs, much to his relief. With the mask on, their face was a curious meld of both of their features, with eyes as slits, and the mouth smiling in Chichiri's SD manner. With hesitation, Chichiri reached up and removed his mask, unsure what he would find.  
  
The face behind the mask was the same meld of the pair's facial features, only this time with a very surprised look upon it. The right side of the face was almost the same as it had been with the mask, only with a more serious look to it, with the right eye having Chichiri's reddish-brown hue. The left side of the face was the cause of the pair's sharp intake of breath.  
  
Chichiri's scar was there, but it had changed. It still slid down the bottom of their forehead right above the eye, but stopped at the eyebrow. An eye of Tasuki's golden-brown colour lay underneath, perfect and completely untouched. The scar continued at the other side of the eye, swiping across the bridge of their nose in the manner that it had before.   
As the melded pair sat, both shocked at their joined appearance, Chiriko-Neko popped up on their shoulder, startling and unbalancing the pair who fell to the floor.   
  
"Chiriko!" Chichiri exclaimed. "You're not Tama-chan no da! You're a lot heavier!"  
  
"Gomen Chichiri-san!" The cat-child meowed. "But Tama-chan says someone's coming. It smells like Soi. She's wearing that perfume again. And Ashitare needs to take a bath." the neko-seishi's nose wrinkled. "Miboshi is coming too, he has a really funny smell to him, and I can smell Tomo's face paint. The other one has to be Suboshi, he must have bathed." Chiriko-Neko bounded cross the floor towards the doorway. "We go tell others!"  
  
Chichiri and Tasuki stood up, brushing off their combined clothing. 'If the Seiryuu Seishi are coming,' Chichiri thought as they headed towards the door, 'they must have been the ones responsible for this mess. It isn't possible for this to be just coincidence.'   
  
Tasuki's hand reached for his tessen. 'Oh they are, are they?' He smiled grimly. 'Lets see how they like this nice BLUE flame!'   
  
Miaka rushed by them, heading for interior of the house under Tamahome's orders.   
  
The paired seishi walked outside the house, and lined up with the other 3 pairs, tessen ready, just as the Seiryuu seishi crashed through the last layer of brush before the clearing.  
  
"Shit!" Suboshi swore, seeing the melded Suzaku Seishi lined up in front of them. "They knew we were coming!"  
  
"It doesn't matter," Tomo pulled out a clam shell as the Seiryuu seishi spread out, "Nakago-sama's spell worked. Now just kill them." Suddenly, the other Tomo's appeared around the painted seishi, all identical in form and stance. Tamahome grinned as he and Mitsukake stepped in front of the four Tomo's. Lifting his left palm, Mitsukake's symbol began to glow and four green sparks flew out and hit the four Tomo's. All but one disappeared. "Now, shall we get serious?" he grinned.   
  
At time same time, Chiriko bounded over to Soi, and peered up at her with wide eyes. The female seishi gave a small laugh. "And what are you going to do?" The cat-child just kept looking at her, his head cocked to one side, tail waving back and forth, radiating kawaiiness. Soi felt herself soften and smile.   
  
"Brrrow?" The neko-seishi meowed, blinking.   
  
Before she could stop herself, Soi bent down and began petting the small seishi. "Awwww," she smiled. "You're so cute!" She sat down, placing Chiriko-Neko on her lap, stroking his head and scratching his ears as he purred.   
  
Suboshi gave a wicked grin and sent his ryuuseisui flying at the Chichiri and Tasuki meld. With a sly smile, Tasuki whipped his tessen up. "LEKKA SHIEN!" The blue flame whipped out and incinerated Suboshi's ryuuseisui. The Seiryuu seishi's eyes went wide as Tasuki chuckled. Quickly whipping out his spare, Suboshi again tried to send it flying at Tasuki and Chichiri, this time trying hard to avoid the flame that was flying from the glowing tessen.  
  
Ashitare growled at Hotohori and Nuriko, while Miboshi hovered in the air above the half-wolf. The small Seiryuu seishi gave a wicked grin and send a large snakelike monster flying in the meld's direction. It was soon split in half by Hotohori's sword. 'Hotohori-sama' Nuriko thought aloud 'Let them push you back a bit, there's a really nice boulder just a bit behind us...'  
  
Hotohori nodded and took a step back as he split the next monster Miboshi sent his way.  
Amiboshi paused in his flute playing, feeling a scratching upon his arm, Looking down, he saw a message from his brother. "Aniki! They're too strong! Help me!" Amiboshi sighed, placing his flute down. Lifting his arm, he scratched under his brothers message: "I told you I wasn't going to get involved. Listen to me next time." He picked up his flute again, then paused. Grasping the flute in one palm, he scribbled the word "Baka" underneath his message.  
  
"Koutoku, is everything all right?" his adopted mother asked, sticking her head in the doorway,  
  
"Yes, mother," he smiled, and resumed his song.   
Suboshi looked in horror at the words scratched upon his arm, the remnants of his second ryuuseisui on the ground by his feat, his emergency training ryuuseisui, which was only half the size of his other two in his hand.  
  
"LEKKA--"  
  
Suboshi hit the ground and rolled barely dodging the blue flame. Smelling a hideous burring sent, he realized his hair had caught on fire. Quickly smacking it out he yelled "WATCH THE HAIR!" at the tessen wielding seishi in front of him.  
  
Tasuki smirked, chuckling slightly.  
  
"IT'S NOT FUNNY!" Suboshi screeched.  
  
"Yes it is no da!" Chichiri smiled. "LEKKA SHIEN NO DA!"  
  
"SHIIIITT!" Suboshi dived for cover as his training ryuuseisui was burnt to a crisp.  
Tomo shrieked in dismay as the last of his feathers was torn out. He was not doing well in this fight. The melded Suzaku seishi kept beating him, and none of his illusions were effective either! Those damn green sparks had dissolved every one of them! Tomo began ducking furiously as Tamahome's punches began pummeling him once more.  
Nakago arrived at the field, jumping from his horse in anticipation of victory. He paused, mid stride, seeing the situation in front of him.  
  
Suboshi was franticly running and ducking blue flame and getting mildly toasted in the process. Tomo was also fairing badly, being pounded on by a man with Tamahome's 'Oni' symbol. The melded Seishi with purple hair suddenly reached over and tossed a massive boulder into the air. Grabbing his sword, the meld split the rock in two, one piece falling on Ashitare, the other on Miboshi. Nakago felt the chi of both of them disappear, and realized his plan had back fired. And where was Soi?   
  
Hearing a meow, Nakago turned to see Soi cuddling a small child with a cat's ears and a tail. "Naka-chan, can I keep him?" She smiled.  
  
Head swimming, Nakago grabbed the female seishi, displacing the cat-child who mewed in protest. Mounting his horse quickly, he urged the beast into the woods and disappeared.  
Tomo noticed Nakago's retreat and decided it would be wise to follow his lead. Casting an illusion off nothingness where he was, he swiftly bolted away.  
"NAKAGO-SAMA!" Suboshi screamed, eyes wide as Nakago and Soi disappeared. Suddenly, he felt a burning as the blue flame hit him squarely in the chest, propelling him across the field and smashing him into a tree. "I-tai" he groaned as he passed out.  
Tasuki grinned, replacing his still-warm tessen in it's sheath. "That was fun!" He announced.   
  
Hotohori and Nuriko looked over at Tasuki and Chichiri, a look of bemused disbelief on their face.  
  
"Nakago ran! Awesome!" They heard Miaka exclaim happily.  
  
"Miaka!" Tamahome exclaimed. "What are you doing?"  
  
The miko sweat dropped from the window she was looking out of. "I wanted to see what was happening." She admitted, jumping out of the window into the field. She ran up to Tamahome and gave him a crushing hug. Suddenly, her face changed. "Tamahome, what's wrong?" she asked, taking a step back. Tamahome hadn't hugged her back. Her eyes went wide and teary. "Don't you love me?"  
  
"Miaka," Tamahome began, reaching for the girl. He stopped mid-reach.   
  
Miaka, seeing the hesitation, began tearing. "Tamahome!" She wailed.  
  
Again Tamahome tried reaching for the girl he loved, but again was held back. "Mitsukake! Stop it!" He exclaimed as Miaka began crying full force.  
  
"WHAT is going on here!" Taiitsukun appeared in the middle of the field, turning Miaka's sobbing in to choked screech.  
  
"Taiitsukun!" Chichiri exclaimed, his voice heavy with relief.  
  
"Chichiri?" She Who Oversees The World looked at the bandit-monk in surprise. "I knew I felt something wrong with your chi, but this? What happened?"  
  
Chichiri went into the highlights of the days events.   
  
"I see," the large old woman thoughtfully.   
  
"Well?" Tamahome asked in a hopeful voice. "Can you help us?"  
  
Taiitsukun nodded her head. "Nyan-Nyan!" she called.  
  
Nothing happened.  
  
Scowling, the old woman repeated herself, louder this time.  
  
"Cure, cure, fix, fix!" Four Nyan-Nyans popped into existence in front of the old-looking goddess who waved them to the direction of the melded seishi. The Nyan-Nyans bobbed happily and approached the seishi, pushing them back into the house and woods.  
  
Miaka stood alone in the field, Taiitsukun having vanished after instructing the Nyan-Nyans. Suddenly she heard a happy yell from the woods.  
"GEN-CHAN HAS REVIVED!"  
  
"Itai no da! Tasuki-kun!"  
  
"Eh, gomen, gomen." Tasuki grinned as the separated pair emerged from the brush, not paying a bit of attention to the monk next to him who was rubbing his head.   
  
"It is SO great ta be back!" he grinned, "Ah, Miaka," he smiled at the confused miko before him. "I could hug ya, but I won't, 'cause I hate women." Tasuki threw his head back and laughed with a maniacal quality. Miaka sweat dropped.  
  
"Miaka!" Came an exclamation from behind her.   
  
"TAMAHOME!" She cried happily, crushing her love.  
  
Mitsukake emerged from the house, looking at the happy couple with a mild resentment.  
  
"MITSUKAKE!" Chiriko exclaimed bounding over towards the tall man, followed closely by Tama-Neko. The no longer cat-child jumped into the arm of the healer, and hugged him greatly, with Tama-chan meowing and nuzzling his shoulder.  
  
The small seishi looked up at Mitsukake. "Tama-chan says it's great to be back." He smiled as the cat meowed in agreement.  
  
A happy laugh echoed from the trees followed by a bellowed: "NURIKO!"  
  
Tasuki laughed again. It was so great to be back in his OWN body without that god damned annoying little fuckin' monk hearing his thoughts and interfering --  
  
"Tasuki-kun!" Chichiri reprimanded.  
  
"Sorry, Chichiri, but you have to admit--" Tasuki broke off. He hadn't been talking aloud!  
  
The pair stared at each other. "DAMN IT!" Tasuki screamed grabbing his tessen and chasing Chichiri across the field. "STAY OUTTA MY HEAD!"  
Taiitsukun watched the mirror showing the seishi and gave a chuckle.   
  
"See," smiled the short, elderly man who was next to her. "I told you this would be more interesting then going to the other world for a movie."  
  
"All right, all right, you win." Taiitsukun smiled. "The Nyan-Nyan's will be there tomorrow."  
  
The man smiled. The bowing to the elderly goddess, he vanished. 


	3. The Enemy Inside

The Enemy Inside  
A warm wind ruffled through the bandit's red hair as he lazily sauntered though the palace gardens. He had taken a much better outlook on life even since the resolution of the melding mess he had had the misfortune of being sucked into. He now knew no matter how bad things were, they could always be worse. He could still be melded with Chichiri. He started whistling, thinking how damn good it still felt to be alone in his own body, without having to listen to the monk's thoughts or have the other man interfere in his life.  
  
Still in a carefree mood, he called a greeting to the small form curled under a tree nearby. The boy's head whipped around instantly, his wide eyes looking up at the redhead in font of him.  
  
Tasuki stood in shock, staring at the child in front of him. Chiriko's eyes were wide with fear, large streams of tears streaking across the large, bright red mark marring his left cheek.  
  
The bandit approached the boy, dropping to his knees so their eyes were on a level. Trying to contain his anger at whomever had struck the small child, he asked, "Who did this?"  
  
The boy pulled his arm across his eyes, unwilling to let Tasuki see him cry.  
  
"It…it's nothing, Tasuki-san." he choked out, trying to contain his sobs.  
  
"Chiriko," Tasuki placed a reassuring hand on the boy's shoulder, "I'm gonna hafta flame someone fer this. Now who did it?"  
  
Chiriko shook his head. "It was my own fault," he insisted miserably.  
  
"Chiriko," Tasuki said gently, "What could you have done?" Chiriko was the politest child he had ever met, and the boy's only goal often seemed to be befriending everyone. There was nothing he could think of that the boy could have done to annoy someone enough to enrage them.  
  
"I...I don't know," The small seishi shook his head. "I just asked…" there was a pause as the child sniffed, trying to hold back his tears. "…I - I just asked why he hasn't been wearing his mask lately." The tears resumed their rolling across the red mark on the child's cheek.  
  
It took a moment for his words to sink in.  
  
"Chichiri did this to you?" Tasuki burst out, unbelievingly.   
  
Chiriko's tears doubled and Tasuki hastened to assure him, "Oi. Don't worry. I believe ya." he tried to smile at the boy. The more he allowed his mind to ponder Chiriko's words, the more he was sure the boy was telling the truth. He often doubted the boy was even able to lie, and something had been…wrong…with Chichiri lately. He couldn't quite pin it down.  
  
'And now's not the time to try, baka' came the often unwelcome voice from reason in the back of his head.  
  
He wrapped his arms around Chiriko, seeing that the boy's eyes were still leaking tears which he vainly tried to hide from the older seishi.  
  
"It's OK to cry if you have to," he said softly to the younger boy, "Don't worry. Everything will be fine." He continued, hoping he wasn't lying to the child. If Chichiri had struck Chiriko, a boy that both of them considered a younger brother, then something was VERY wrong with the magic using seishi.   
  
Noticing Chiriko had stopped sobbing, he placed his hands on the small seishi's shoulders, forcing himself to smile. "C'mon. Let's get you to the library and find you something to read."  
  
Chiriko perked up at the word 'library,' as Tasuki knew he would. Getting up, he lead the boy to the imperial library, knowing that getting lost in a book would help the child forget the fading red mark on his cheek.   
  
Inside the library, Chiriko pulled a slightly dusty book from one of the lower shelves and settled comfortably on the floor with it. Leaning against the nearby wall, Tasuki began brooding over what had happened.  
  
He generally tried to ignore the mental bond he and Chichiri seemed to share since the escapade where they had been melded near three weeks ago, but seeing Chiriko literally curled up with his book, a reminder of his time melded with Tama-neko, dredged up something that had been eating at the back of Tasuki's mind. During Chichiri's last disappearance, there had been a brief flare of their bond, a feeling that something was wrong, almost a cry for help, which had been quickly cut off.  
  
That was the last impression he'd received from the monk.  
  
"Chiriko," he said abruptly.  
  
Chiriko looked up alertly. If he'd still had cat ears, they would have been standing up and turned towards Tasuki.  
  
'And his tail would have been flicking back and forth in curiosity' Tasuki thought fondly, amused that he could so easily see the boy sitting in front of him as the half-cat Chiriko-neko he had briefly been.  
  
"What is it, Tasuki-san?" The no longer cat-child responded.  
  
"How long has Chichiri been acting strangely?" Tasuki asked. If Chiriko came to the same conclusions he had....  
  
Chiriko blinked at the question, but thought briefly, and replied, "I think since he came back from his last trip about a week ago."   
  
'Shit,' Tasuki thought. "That's what I thought. Something must have happened to him then." he concluded  
  
"What?" Chiriko asked, curiously.  
  
"I don't know." The bandit sighed.  
  
"Then how do you know something happened?"   
  
Tasuki motioned to where Chiriko was laying, and asked pointedly, "Who was I melded with?"  
  
Chiriko blinked, seeming to realize for the first time how he was seated. He nodded. "So," he said sitting upright, "How do we find out what happened?"  
  
"First," Tasuki said, "We have to figure out what's wrong." He shifted position, his face holding a look of thoughtful concentration. "Chichiri hasn't said 'no da' for the entire week since he's been back," Tasuki realized, understanding what had been bugging him every time he talked to the monk. "He hasn't been wearing his mask, hell, he hasn't been wearing most of his magic stuff, come to think of it, he hasn't been using 'oira,' he's been acting more solitary, and I've lost the bond with him." As he mentioned each item, he counted it out on his fingers. "And of course, his temper's been bad." He smiled. "I think we just put that up to my influence… What?"  
  
The last comment was directed at Chiriko, who was giving him a very curious look.  
  
"I don't think I've seen you this focussed on anything but fighting." He commented. "I didn't know you were that observant."  
  
Tasuki could feel his cheeks heating. "Ya don't get to be head of the Mt. Leikaku bandits by bein' an idiot," he mumbled.  
  
Chiriko nodded, still not quite understanding his friend's embarrassment, as Tasuki continued.  
  
"Anyway, he hasn't done anything 'till now to really call attention to himself, so we can figure he didn't want anyone to notice the change. We've just given him space, thinking he needed to be alone. So whatever happened can't be good." He snorted. "'Course its not good. Why else would he be shouting for help?"  
  
"We should tell the others," Chiriko said gravely. Tasuki nodded, pushing open the large library doors and heading for the throne room where he had last seen Hotohori and Mitsukake.   
  
"Hotohori-sama," Chiriko began, but was cut off by a large pop as a large ugly old woman appeared in the center of the room.  
  
"KYAAAAAAAA!" Chiriko screamed, ducking behind Tasuki. The red-haired seishi whipped out his tessen, prepared to defend the former cat-child until he realized who it was.  
  
"What's happened to my apprentice?" the old lady accused in a grated tone.  
  
"What do you mean, Taiitsukun?" Hotohori asked, puzzled.  
  
"Chichiri's ki has been missing for over a week." Taiitsukun explained as if talking to a misbehaving three-year-old  
  
His ki was missing? Tasuki was stunned. If the old fart couldn't sense Chichiri's ki then there was even more to this problem then he had though!  
  
"Why didn't you bring this up before?" Hotohori asked.  
  
The old goddess shrugged. "I figured he had a good reason, but he wouldn't stay hidden this long without telling me. How have you misplaced my apprentice?" She accused the startled emperor  
  
"A-ano, Taiitsukun, Chichiri's here, but…not," Chiriko said, peeking out from behind Tasuki.  
  
Taiitsukun floated over to where the child stood. "What do you mean?" She asked, seaming to glare at the frightened boy.  
  
Chiriko ducked behind Tasuki again, cringing.  
  
"Leave him alone!" Tasuki growled at the old goddess his tessen still in hand.  
  
Taiitsukun looked at the bandit expectantly.  
  
Tasuki quickly ran though their theory.  
  
"This is bad," Taiitsukun said, turning again to the emperor, "The only one I know capable of changing a personality that much and completely hiding ki, is Tenkou."  
  
"Tenkou?!" the seishi exclaimed in unison .  
  
She nodded. "Chichiri will still have his powers, and probably more as well, so you'll have to be careful how you approach him."  
  
"How do we help him?" Mitsukake asked.  
  
For once, 'She who oversees the world' looked frustrated. "I don't know."  
  
They all looked at her aghast.  
  
"However you go about it, though, be careful," she admonished, before disappearing.  
  
They all looked at each other for a moment, eyes full of dread.  
"Where's Chichiri?" Tasuki asked, turning for the door.  
  
"He's in the garden meditating," Mitsukake answered, "Why?"  
  
Tasuki looked over his shoulder, flashing his fangs at the healer. "I wanna talk to him."  
  
He discovered Chichiri not far from where he'd had found Chiriko.  
  
"Oi, Chichiri!" he called in a friendly tone.  
  
The mage turned, startled. "Oh. Tasuki-kun. What?"  
The monk definitely had a different look to him, Tasuki though. He had the same appearance on the surface, and if Tasuki was only casually looking at him, he might have though nothing was wrong, but the bandit could see a definite difference in his face. He was also stuck by how different he appeared in dress as well. It had been a slow transition, one item one day, another the next, so that no one had really noticed. Even his beads were gone. Tasuki blinked, realizing he had never seen Chichiri with out them.   
  
"I was just thinkin'," he began, forcing himself to act normally, "and y'know, our bond seems ta be gone since ya disappeared last."  
  
Chichiri just looked at him. Tasuki sighed to himself. This was going be like getting Kouji to tell him where he hid the last bottle of sake.  
  
"An' I remembered that while ya were gone, I heard ya callin' fer help." He continued, as if he hadn't noticed the pause. "What happened?"  
  
Chichiri blinked. "I slipped on a rock and it startled me." He explained flatly.  
  
'Sure. And there are no women in my family.' Tasuki thought grimly.  
  
He crossed his arms. Might as well go for the full bottle "Why'd ya hit Chiriko?" he asked, staring intently at the monk.  
  
Chichiri looked at Tasuki for a moment, then muttered something softly to himself, and he brought his fingers to his face. With a start, Tasuki realized he was going to ki-blast him.  
  
Tasuki quickly dodged, feeling the bast hit the tree he had jut been standing in front of. As he turned to run, he saw the glint of metal in the monk's hand. 'Shit!' Tasuki though as the knife embedded itself into a tree just behind him. He put on an extra burst of speed, knowing he was faster then Chichiri, but panicked just the same,  
  
He busted into the throne room, slamming the door behind him. He leaned back against it, panting heavily. That couldn't have been Chichiri, he though, Chichiri would never have done that! And Chichiri never carried a knife!  
  
The other seishi in the room looked at him in surprise. He pushed off the door, and moved toward Hotohori and Mitsukake, breathing deeply.  
  
"We need Nuriko and Tamahome," he said, looking each of them in the eye. "NOW."  
  
"What happened, Tasuki?" Hotohori asked, concerned.  
  
"What happened?" Tasuki's eyes were burning. "The bastard tried to fuckin' kill me. That's what happened." He yelled.  
  
Hotohori blinked, both at the situation described, and at Tasuki's choice of words in describing it.  
  
"Oh," he commented in a shocked voice. He closed his eyes in concentration, contacting Nuriko through his bond, actions copied by Mitsukake in his contacting of Tamahome.  
  
There was a loud crash as the door was blown open, the two halves crushing the guards that stood by it. The dust settled, revealing Chichiri standing in the doorway, in a fighting stance. His face was a hard mask, his eyes nearly glowing with an inner light. A long black staff was in his hands, held in the manner of a sparing staff, topped with a small rounded black crystal that was glowing with an eerie black light. An aura of pale blue light surrounded the monk, shimming like water around him.   
  
"Shit," Chichiri muttered, seeing that it was not just Tasuki in the room. Then he shrugged, "No matter," he said. Lowing the head of staff, he pointed it at the still shocked occupants of the room. The ball on the edge of the staff glowed brighter and emitted a wave of energy as Chichiri swung it in an arc at the four seishi in front of him.  
  
Tasuki grabbed Chiriko and ducked behind the throne as the ki wave ripped through the room, smashing Hotohori and Mitsukake off their feet and into the wall behind them.  
  
"Fuck!" Tasuki muttered, watching the healer and emperor struggle to their feet. Chiriko's eyes went wide as Tasuki silently pulled his tessen out of its sheath.  
  
"Lekka…" he whispered, to give Chichiri as little warning as possible, then shouted, "SHIEN!" as he jumped out from behind his shield.  
  
Instantly, Chichiri whipped a shield of dark-light around himself. Tasuki's eyes widened, as his flames were absorbed by the shield.   
  
"Is that the best you can do?" Chichiri asked, grinning sadistically at Tasuki's stunned expression, as he brought his staff up to blast the bandit.  
  
Tasuki recovered and ducked just as the blast shattered the wall behind him. Grabbing Chiriko, he dashed out of the room, hoping Hotohori and Mitsukake would so the same. He was sure Chichiri would follow him, rather then finish the other two seishi off. Tasuki at attacked him, the others hadn't. Tasuki smiled grimly hearing the faint sounds of someone behind him, knowing he was faster. He would leave the monk of a merry chase to give the others time to recover and contact Nuriko and Tamahome.   
  
Ducking into a darkened room, he carefully placed Chiriko on the ground. "Keep, running," he whispered to the small seishi. "He can find you by your ki, so you have to keep moving," Chiriko nodded, and rushed off. Pausing one moment more to get a good breath, Tasuki continued running.  
With a sudden cold shock, Tasuki realized he was lost. Panic flooded through him as he stood at the end of the hallway. He had no idea where he was, or where to go. "SHIT!" he yelled as a ki blast smashed into the wall next to him. Driving into the nearest room, Tasuki slammed the door shut and quickly barricaded it with furniture. Spotting a window, Tasuki gave a quick prayer to Suzaku and hurled himself through it , just as another blast shattered the door open.   
  
Hearing Chichiri cursing behind him, he smiled grimly. He slowed himself down, wanting to make sure the monk was following. Hearing an explosion, he looked behind him. Chichiri had blasted away the wall, and was already out of the building. Putting on an extra burst of speed, Tasuki zipped into the wooded area, dodging another blast.  
  
After a while, he doubled back to the throne room. He was running out a breath and hoped Tamahome and Nuriko would be there to back him up. Entering the decimated room, he gave a heavy sigh. The room was empty. Tasuki walked over to the throne, noticing Hotohori's imperial hat was laying on the group near by. Tasuki hoped he and Mitsukake had gotten away unharmed. Sighing, he hid in the next room, knowing it was only a matter of time before Chichiri found him.   
  
"Don't scream," came a gnarled voice from behind him.   
  
Tasuki nearly jumped a foot, whipping around, tessen in hand. With a large sigh of relief, he realized it was Taiitsukun.   
  
"Something has to be done to stop him." The old goddess declared. Lifting her hand, she lightly tossed a small bubble of light in Tasuki's direction. It entered the tessen and winked out. "Use it wisely." she instructed.  
  
"Why are you giving this to me?" Tasuki asked, looking down at his tessen, noting it's increased shine  
  
"I trained Chichiri, I know what he can do." Taiitsukun replied gravely. "And I also know Tenkou. Good luck." The old woman faded from sight.  
  
Hearing footsteps in the throne room, Tasuki whipped around. Edging over to the door of the room, he peered out, tessen ready. Nuriko and Tamahome had arrived, and were looking around at the decimated room in horror. Tasuki was about to call out to them when he noticed shadow falling across the threshold of the room.  
  
'Shit!' he thought, seeing the shadow of Chichiri's black staff. "LEKKA SHIEN!" He yelled as he jumped into the room.  
  
Nuriko and Tamahome turned in surprise as a steam of white flame barreled out and slammed into Chichiri, who stumbled backwards, giving a sharp intake of breath.  
  
"RUN BAKA!" Tasuki yelled at the other two stunned seishi as he sped off. Tasuki panted heavily as he resumed his flight, 'No!' He cried mentally, feeling himself slowing down. Chichiri would catch up to him if he couldn't keep going!  
  
Suddenly, a pair of strong arms encircled his waist and pick him up. He glared up at Nuriko.   
  
"I'm not a fucking baby!" he exclaimed in between breaths.  
  
"No, but if I could catch up to you, then you need the break." Nuriko responded.  
  
He couldn't argue with that. A sudden fear caught him. "Where's Miaka?" He asked.  
  
"In town with my family," Tamahome replied. "Mitsukake said to make sure she stayed behind."  
  
"So, why did you just flame Chichiri, and why did Hotohori-sama tell us to avoid him?" Nuriko asked.  
  
"Lemme catch my breath." Tasuki panted, concentrating on taking deep breaths of air to refill his aching lungs.  
  
"Do it quickly." The strong seishi advised.  
  
Tamahome nudged Nuriko, and the two ducked into Suzaku's shrine. "Suzaku protect us." Tasuki prayed softly.  
  
Nuriko dumped Tasuki at the base of Suzaku's statue. "Why were we told not to bring Miaka back with us and not to contact the others?" he asked the still panting bandit.  
  
"And what's wrong with Chichiri?" Tamahome added.  
  
Gulping air, Tasuki brought them up to date on what had been happening since they had gone to bring Tamahome's family to the capital. It was obvious from their expressions that they didn't believe him.  
  
"Shit," he said, shaking his head, "You just watch. When he catches up, he's gonna attack."   
  
Gathering his tessen, he stalked out of the shrine and headed back to the throne room.  
  
Hotohori, Mitsukake and Chiriko were waiting for him.  
  
"Tasuki-san, can you contact Chichiri through your bond?" Chiriko asked as Nuriko and Tamahome caught up.  
  
"Dunno, and I don't have time to check. He's after me the most." Tasuki replied.  
  
"We'll defend you, Tasuki," Hotohori said, raising his sword with a glimmer in his eyes. "If you can attack him from inside his head, it will make it easier for us to defeat him."  
  
Tasuki frowned. "I'll try." He sighed. Suddenly he looked up. "Shit, he's here!" he exclaimed as Chichiri stepped into the room.   
  
Hotohori's grip on his sword tightened, but Tasuki shook his head, placing a hand in front of the emperor.  
  
Nodding in Nuriko and Tamahome's direction he muttered "They didn't believe it. Let him attack first."  
  
Chichiri smirked, leveling his staff. Tasuki saw the crystal glow, and ducked as a ki blast barreled his direction.  
  
"Shit!" Tamahome swore, as Hotohori and Mitsukake began attacking the glowing seishi.  
  
Another blast was flung out from the staff, shoving the two attackers back into the wall.  
  
"Becoming a coward, Tasuki-kun?" Chichiri mocked, sending a ki-blast toward the redhead.  
  
"LEKKA SHIEN!" Tasuki screamed, bringing his tessen down.  
  
White flame met blue ki, and exploded.  
  
"Shit," Chichiri said in admiration, an impressed look upon his face.  
  
Shouting his incantation once more, Tasuki whipped his tessen around himself, creating a barrier of white flame. Holding his tessen out in front of him, he closed his eyes. Concentrating his ki he mentally reached out to Chichiri, praying to Suzaku that the bond was still there.  
Suddenly, Chichiri turned, his mouth set in a wicked smile. Miaka stood in the doorway, her eyes wide, her hand covering her mouth. "Ah, Miaka-chan," the mage smiled, the gem at the edge of his staff beginning to glow. "How nice of you to show up."   
  
"MIAKA! RUN!" Tamahome yelled, as he began barreling towards the back of the grinning seishi.   
  
"TAMAHOME!" Miaka cried as the aqua haired seishi hit the mage's shield and was repelled.   
  
"RUN, BAKA!" Nuriko screamed at the stunned Miko.  
  
Chichiri swiftly brought the glowing end of the staff to bear on the immobilized girl. "Shi'ne, Suzaku no Miko." The mage stated, as the ki blast left the staff.  
  
Miaka screamed as the bast hit her, propelling her out into the courtyard.  
Tasuki's head snapped up, his concentration broken.   
  
"Tasuki-san! Keep trying!" Chiriko exclaimed, seeing the redhead's expression. "You have to get through to him!"  
  
The bandit nodded, clenching his eyes shut and gripping his tessen as if to pull every last bit of energy from it.  
"MIAKA!" Tamahome screamed, his face horror stricken as the mage turned his back to the fallen girl.  
  
"I appear to have killed your Miko." The blue-haired man smirked.  
  
The seishi could only stare at the mage in horror.   
  
"You son of a BITCH!" Tamahome roared, the symbol on his forehead flaring its script form, as his face distorted in anger.  
Mitsukake slowly began backing into the corridor. If he could get to Miaka in time, there still might be a chance she was alive.  
Hotohori gripped his sword, the symbol on his neck glowing with the same intensity Tamahome's was. "Shi'ne." he growled.  
  
Nuriko placed a hand on Hotohori's shoulder. "I will lend you my ki," he said softly. Stepping back, the purple-haired seishi closed his eyes and concentrated, sending his energy to the seishi he had been linked with.   
Chichiri gave a chuckle, his staff glowing, ready to blast the first seishi who attacked him.   
Chiriko looked over where Tasuki was now kneeling, his face a mask of concentration, wishing he could do something to help. Closing his eyes, the boy began praying to Suzaku for help and protection.  
With a roar, Tamahome launched himself at the grinning seishi, his eyes glowing. Chichiri sent a blast at the enraged seishi, knocking him back slightly. The mage's eye widened in amazement as the super-onied seishi recovered back immediately, oblivious to the pain he felt.   
  
Hotohori, feeling the presence of Nuriko in his mind, brought his sword to bear on the staff-wielding man in front of him. Then pulling is back slightly, the seishi brought the sword down.  
  
The mage before him vanished before the sword could connect. Nuriko and Hotohori's pain-filled screams echoed in unison as the ki blast hit the emperor in the back. He fell over, eyes glazed in pain.  
Tasuki felt something give way in the mind he was probing, as a sobbing sound filled his mind.  
  
~Chichiri?~ The bandit asked.  
  
The sobbing increased in volume.   
  
~Chichiri! Talk to me!~ The bandit exclaimed mentally.  
  
~I couldn't stop him,~ The monk wailed. ~I COULDN'T STOP HIM!~  
  
Him? Tasuki though in shock. ~Chichiri! Ya have to fight! Ya have to get control back!~  
  
~I can't!~ The monk cried, completely broken. ~I tried, but I couldn't stop him!~  
  
~Damn it, Chichiri!~ Tasuki swore. ~You have to keep fighting!~ The bandit began pouring his energy to the sobbing monk, drawing extra power from both his tessen and the barrier he had erected.   
Tamahome again rushed the mage as his staff recharged. Hitting the shield of darkness, The man's face twisted in pain, but he was not repelled. "You.... bastard.." he growled, pushing himself against the shield.  
  
The mage gave a half smile, bringing his staff to bear on the enraged man before him.  
"Tamahome-san!" Chiriko cried, realizing the mage's intentions. The aqua haired seishi didn't hear him, his attention centered on the mage before him.  
  
Chiriko turned to where Hotohori and Nuriko lay sprawled out on the floor, unconscious, there was no way he could wake them. He couldn't interrupt Tasuki and Mitsukake was gone. Bracing himself, Chiriko began running towards the monk.  
~Chiriko!~ Chichiri cried, pounding on the clear wall in front of him. ~No!~  
Grabbing his scroll from the pouch he carried it in, Chiriko continued running, praying to Suzaku that he would succeed. Giving a yell, he jumped at the mage, flinging the scroll before him with all his might.  
  
The scroll hit the black shield with a flare of red light, causing it to falter for the moment Chiriko needed to barrel through.   
  
The mage looked down at the small boy in shock, as Chiriko grabbed hold of the black staff in the monk's hands. The boy hissed in pain as the cold of the staff burned him, but would not let go, wrenching at it as the ki-blast was released.   
  
The edge of the ki wave hit into Tamahome, knocking him back across the room.   
  
Praying the man was all right, the small seishi looked into the unscarred eye of the monk. "Chichiri-san!" He yelled. "Fight him!" He yanked and twisted the staff, trying to force it away from the blue-haired man.  
  
The mage paused, blinking at the boy, who smiled up at him hopefully. "Fool." The monk muttered. Ripping the staff from the boys hands, Chichiri smashed it into Chiriko's body, propelling him across the room.  
  
The boy hit wall, and fell forward. Fighting back his pain, he struggled to his feet. "Chichiri-san," he moaned. "Please..."   
  
The monk raised his staff aiming it at the small boy. "Shi'ne." He muttered darkly as the crystal on his staff began to glow.  
  
"NO!" Came a cry, echoed inside his mind. The mage whirled, turning his staff. The ki-blast slammed into the red-haired man who had yelled. The seishi was thrown back as the blue-haired man again turned his attention to the child before him.  
  
"Chichiri-san," the boy whispered again, looking up at the hard face before him.   
  
"The Chichiri you knew is dead." The monk informed the child in a dark tone. "As you soon will be."  
  
"LEKKAAAAAA SHIEN!" Came a horse cry. Pain wracked the mage's body, causing him to bend with pain. Damn it! Why wasn't that fool DEAD! Fighting off the pain that his body felt, the monk concentrated on building his ki for the blast. The glow in the crystal flicked and faded. Damn it! He cried out as another blast of flame wracked his body in agony. Had.. to.. concentrate. The person in the back of his head was fighting him again as well. 'Tenkou, give me strength', the man prayed. The crystal began to glow steadily, as the mage straightened up.  
~NO!~ Chichiri screamed, his fists bloodied from pounding. ~Yameru!~ He cried as the staff was shakily brought to bear on Chiriko.   
Tasuki stepped in front of the small seishi, tessen in his charred hands.   
  
The mage chuckled. "You wouldn't kill me." he smiled.  
  
As a response Tasuki raised his tessen. "LEKKAA SHINEN!"  
  
The dark shield around the monk faltered, buckling under the flame. Chichiri cried out as the flame hit him, falling to his knees.  
  
"You... wouldn't... kill your... friend, would... you... Tasuki?" The monk asked, as he rose to his feet shakily.  
  
"You're not Chichiri." Tasuki replied grimly, raising his tessen once more. "LEKKKAAAA---"  
~Yameru!~ Chichiri continued pounding, tears mingling with the blood from his fists. Hairline cracks began snaking along the wall in front of him  
"SHINEN!!"   
  
Flame again slammed into the mage's body, causing him to fold in pain. "I.... will... KILL... you..." he hissed in pain.  
~YA---~  
  
The cracks deepened as Chichiri's fist again pounded the wall in agony.  
The man shakily lifted his staff at the redhead in front of him, the crystal glowing with an unsteady light.   
Tasuki held his tessen in front of him. If he flamed the monks body again, there was little chance he would survive. 'Common Chichiri!' he though, his face set in a grim expression.   
~--ME--~  
  
Glass splintered, sending shards in every direction as Chichiri raised his fist again for the final blow.  
Chiriko shakily rose to his feet. The black shield around the monk was flickering as tears streamed from his eye, his hands holding the shaking staff in a death grip. His expression was a twist of hatred and sorrow, and Chiriko could almost see the struggle behind it.   
~-RU!!!!~ Chichiri screamed as the glass in his mind shattered.  
A look of pure shock covered the mage's face as the crystal on the top of his staff shattered in a brilliant flare of light. Dropping the staff, he staggered a moment as the black shield around him vanished. Suddenly, his face softened, and his rage disappeared. His mouth opened as his unscarred eye blinked. "Tasuki---kun," he whispered, as he fell backwards to the ground.  
  
"Chichiri!" The bandit cried, rushing to the fallen monk's side.   
  
"He's still breathing," Chiriko observed in a tired voice, leaning on the red-haired seishi.   
  
"Where's Mitsukake!" Tasuki cried, staring at Chichiri, his eyes wide and paniced.   
  
As if summoned, the healer walked through the doorway supporting a weak, but alive Miaka.  
  
"Miaka-san!" Chiriko exclaimed. "You're alive!"  
  
"Miaka...." came a weak voice from behind the group.   
  
"Tamahome!" the miko cried, momentarily forgetting her pain as she rushed to her lover's side.  
  
Mitsukake kneeled by the unconscious monk and placed his hand over him, his symbol glowing.   
  
Chichiri stirred. His unscarred eye opened slowly and focused on the seishi in front of him.  
  
"She's alive, Chichiri," The healer smiled at the bruised monk. "You didn't kill her. You didn't kill anybody."   
  
The monk gave a weak nod, then closed his eye again.   
  
"Is he--?" Tasuki exclaimed, alarmed.  
  
"He's sleeping. He needs the rest." Mitsukake rose to his feet and walked over to where Nuriko was fretting over Hotohori.  
  
Tasuki looked over to Chiriko, who was leaning against his side. "You all right?" He asked, concerned.  
  
The boy nodded. "The only question is, will he be?" he nodded to the sleeping monk.  
  
Tasuki sighed, wrapping an arm around the boy. "I hope so." 


	4. Drowing Sorrows

Drowning Sorrows  
Tasuki pushed opened the door to the bar, looking forward to getting drunk as he possibly could. After all the shit that had happened in the past week, he needed it. He didn't even care what bar it was, as long as they had some good sake. 'I wish Kouji was here.' he thought glumly. It was more fun getting drunk if you had someone getting just as drunk with you.   
  
"I'll take another no da."   
  
Tasuki froze, mid step. That voice... using 'oira'... in a bar? It couldn't be! Slowly, he turned. "Shit." Tasuki swore softly.   
  
The blue haired seishi was sitting at the bar, the stools on either side of him vacent, a small neat row of glasses lined up next to him.   
  
The bandit blinked a few times. Chichiri was--- drinking?   
  
"Are you just going to stare or are you going to sit?" the monk asked in a low, soft voice.   
  
Tasuki walked quietly to the bar and sat next to the blue haired man, feeling awkward. "Chichiri--" he began, hesitant. He could see the seishi's eye was dull and vacant looking. "What are you doing here?" he finally asked.   
  
"The same thing you are," the monk replied as he began idly playing with the row of glasses beside him, stacking them on top of each other, unstacking them again, and repeating the process. "Trying to get drunk."   
  
The bartender silently placed another glass in front of the depressed seishi and quickly walked back to the other end of the bar.   
  
Tasuki watched, eyes wide, as the monk lifted the glass and drank most of the dark coloured liquid inside of it.   
  
The blue haired man looked gloomily into the glass as he swirled the remaining liquid around in a circular motion. "Isn't that what bars are for?" he asked softly before finishing the drink. He placed the glass at the end of the unstacked row and lifted his arm to order another.   
  
"Don't." The bandit instructed, pushing the monk's arm back down.   
  
Chichiri's eye, dulled and depressed, connected with the redheads for a moment, then, turning away, he pulled his arm away from Tasuki's restraining grip. "Why are you stopping me?" he asked softly.   
  
"'Cause you've had enough," Tasuki replied.   
  
"No I haven't," Chichiri muttered. "I'm not drunk yet."   
  
"And I'm not lettin' ya get drunk, baka!" The bandit retorted.   
  
Chichiri looked up at the red head as he continued. "If you get drunk, you're gonna get hung over, and I don't wanna hear ya complaining in the morning when I'm hung over!"   
  
The blue haired seshi smiled faintly.   
  
"And besides, you've probably never gotten drunk before---"   
  
"I have." the monk replied softly. "I got drunk once before--"   
  
Tasuki's eyes went wide.   
  
"After--" Chichiri closed his eye in pain, his voice taking on an odd quality as he continued. "After the flood."   
  
"The flood?"   
  
Chichiri nodded, his eye still closed.   
  
There was a pause. "Did you want to talk about it?"   
  
The blue haired man shook his head silently.   
  
"It's because of yesterday, isn't it?" Tasuki asked softly.   
  
The monk nodded slowly. "It was like it was happening all over again," he said in a near whisper, "and I couldn't stop it. And he was there, watching me, smiling, as the majin took that part of me and put it in control..."   
  
There was an awkward silence as Tasuki tried to come up with something to say that would help. "I don't know what happened, but I know it can't help trying to drown your sorrows--"   
He was cut off as Chichiri spun around and grabbed the bandit's trench coat, his eye wide. "You don't understand!" the monk cried out, his voice shaking as a tear slid down his face, passing over the edge of his scar. "I tried to do that before!" He suddenly left go of the startled bandit, and hung his head limply, his bangs covering his face as he repeated softly: "..I tried to.."   
  
." 'Kuso.' Tasuki thought. He wasn't helping things any, was he? Reaching into his pocket, he grabbed a few coins and dropped them onto the bar. "C'mon, we're going back." he rose to his feet, placing a hand on the monk's shoulder.   
  
Chichiri slowly got to his feet and allowed himself to be led from the bar and back to his room. Tasuki make sure the monk wasn't going anywhere, and quickly walked down the hall to Mitsukake's room.   
  
"Oi, Mitsukake? I need yer help here."   
  
The healer opened the door and looked at the redhaired seishi with concern. "What's wrong?"   
  
"Chichiri. I found him in a bar. He's in his room."   
  
The tall man nodded, then walked down the hallway. Knocking softly on the door he opened it, entered the room and closed the door behind him.   
  
Giving a sigh, Tasuki crossed the hallway to his own room and located the bottle of sake he kept as reserve. There was no way he was going back out to the bars tonight.   
A few hours later, there was a knock on his door.   
  
"Is he all right?" Tasuki asked as Mitsukake sat down.   
  
The older man nodded. "He's sleeping."   
  
"Well? What happened?"   
  
"He asked me about Shoka," the healer replied, "and about what happened when you and the others came to my village."   
  
"Did he tell you anything about what was buggin' him?"   
  
Mitsukake shook his head. "He said he didn't want to talk about it, that it was something from his past. I gave him a special herbal tea mixture that should help him feel better, and cure any hangover he might get." The big man yawned as he stood up. "I'm sure he'll be fine, Tasuki, don't worry too much."   
  
The bandit nodded.   
"Oi, Chichiri?" Tasuki knocked on the monk's door the next morning, mildly uneasy. Even though Mitsukake had said not to worry, he had had an uneasy sleep worrying about his friend.   
  
"Hai no da!" Came a cheerful reply. "Matte kudasai no da!"   
  
A few moments later, Chichiri opened the door, his mask smiling. "What is it no da, Tasuki-kun?"   
  
Tasuki felt a huge sigh of relief. Chichiri seemed to be back to normal. "I was just checkin' ta see if you were are right." he replied.   
  
"Hai no da!" The monk smiled. "Oh, Tasuki-kun." Chichiri walked over to his desk and retrieved a few coins. Removing his mask, he placed the coins in Tasuki's hand. "Arigato." he smiled. Then replacing the mask, he asked cheerfully, "Shall we go no da?" 


End file.
